Litti Chokha

Ahh, Litti! J

Litti is a snack food found in India's Bihar state. It consists of balls of wheat and sattu (powdered gram or lentil) formed into balls with spices, and then filled with or dipped in ghee. Although very often confused with the closely related Baati, it is a completely different dish in terms of taste, texture and preparation. It is usually eaten with chokha, which is similar to baingan/aloo/tomato bharta. The litti are traditionally baked over a cow-dung fire, but in the modern day a wok of boiling oil may be used.

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Litti

To make dough:

1.    Wheat flour - 400 grams (2 cup)

2.    Ajwain - 1/2 tsp

3.    Ghee - 2 tbsp

4.    Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

5.    Salt - 3/4 tsp

Ingredients for stuffing

1.    Sattu - 200 grams (1 cup)

2.    Ginger - 1 inch long piece

3.    Green chilly - 2 to 4

4.    Green coriander(dhaniya) - 1/2 cup(finely chopped)

5.    Jeera(cumin seeds) - 1 tsp

6.    Ajwain(carom seeds) - 1 tsp

7.    Mustard oil - 1tsp

8.    Pickle spices - 1 tbsp

9.    Lemon - juice of 1 lemon (if you prefer)

10. Salt - add to taste ( 1/2 tsp)

Ingredients for Chokha

1.    Brinjal(big) - 400 grams (1 or 2)

2.    Tomatoes - 250 grams ( 4 medium sized)

3.    Green chillies - 2 to 4 (finely chopped)

4.    Ginger - 1 1/2 inch long piece ( finely chopped)

5.    Green coriander - 2 tbsp ( finely chopped)

6.    Salt - add to taste (1 tsp)

7.    Mustard oil - 1 to 2 tsp

Method:

Prepare dough for Litti

Filter the flour and keep it in a utensil, put Ghee, baking soda, Ajwain and salt in flour then mix well. Knead a soft dough using warm water. Cover the dough and keep aside for 30 minutes. Dough required to make Litti is ready.

How to make Stuffing for Litti

Wash, peel and finely chop ginger (you can also grate it). Break the stems of the green chillies, wash then finely chop them.  Clean green coriander, wash then finely chop the leaves. Take out Sattu in a utensil put chopped ginger, green chillies, coriander, lemon juice, salt, Jeera, Ajwain, mustard oil and pickle spices in it. Mix all the ingredients properly, if the stuffing seems dry, then add 1-2 spoons of water to it.

How to make Litti

Break off medium sized pieces from the dough. With the help of your fingers expand the pieces 2-3 inches in diameter. Place 1- 1 1/2 tsp stuffing on it, wrap up the dough piece and close from all sides. Press this stuffed pieces to flatten it a bit, Litti is ready for frying.

Heat the Tandoor (furnace), place the stuffed pieces of dough in the Tandoor and cook it by turning sides regularly till they turn brown (traditionally Litti is cooked on Upla).

How to make Chokha for Litti

Wash brinjals and tomatoes then fry them. Allow them to cool, peel the skins, keep them in a bowl and mash with a spoon. Put the chopped spices, salt, oil and mix properly. Brinjal Chokha is ready.

If you prefer garlic and onion, then peel 5-6 cloves of garlic then finely chop them. Peel 1 onion, chop it finely and mix these with brinjal.

Aloo ka Chokha

Peel 4-5 boiled potatoes break them into small pieces, add chopped ginger, green chillies, green coriander, red chilly powder and salt to it then mix well. Aloo ka Chokha is ready.

Serve

Put Chokha in a bowl, dip hot Litti in melted Ghee, Litti can also be broken at the centre and then dipped. Serve with Chokha and green coriander chutney.